Spinning toy

ABSTRACT

A spinning toy including a semi-spherical bowl shaped member with a portion extending upwardly over the midpoint of the spherical portion thereof thus providing a smoothly radiused interior wall portion, a spinnable member located on a vertical axis which axis is offset to the vertical axis of the bowl member when the bowl is in an upright position and the spinnable member having blades of equal lengths thereon of less dimension than the radial dimension of the bowl and a ball normally provided in the bowl below the spinnable member. The ball, spinnable member blade lengths and the axial offset of the spinnable member allow the ball to move from the bottom of the bowl past the blades of the spinnable member at locations where the axial offset of the spinnable member to the wall is the greatest and allow the ball to be supported above the spinnable member by the coaction of the blades and the wall closest to the blade tips due to the axial offset of the spinnable member.

Applicant provides herein a toy which forms the basis of a game ofskill. It is necessary, in order to score points in the game to spin aball retaining element such that a ball provided therein will climb thesides of the unit and become lodged between the sides of the unit and aspinning member provided therein. This demands a certain degree of skilland points are awarded for lodging of the ball. The spinning device isshiftable within the retaining element such that the possible lodgingposition may be altered.

It is therefore an object of applicant's invention to provide a game-toyrequiring the player thereof to lodge a ball member in certain positionsto score points.

It is further an object of applicant's invention to provide a game-toyhaving means for positively positioning the same against a surface whilethe same is being played.

It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide a game-toyhaving a bowl-shaped, ball retaining member equipped with an internalspinning member and having a ball with a dimension that will allow theball to be lodged between such spinning member and the ball retainingmember.

It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide a game-toyhaving a bowl-shaped, ball-retaining member equipped with an internalspinning member which member is shiftable with respect to the center ofthe bowl to shift the position of lodgement of a ball between itself andthe interior wall of the bowl.

It is still a further object of applicant's invention to provide agame-toy having a bowl-shaped, ball-retaining member having a pluralityof compartments on the lower inner surface thereof for receiving andretaining a ball member therein.

These and other objects and advantages of applicant's invention willmore fully appear from the accompanying disclosure made in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein the same numerals are utilizedto designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, andin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spinning toy embodying the concepts ofapplicant's invention, illustrating the ball member thereof in a lodged,scoring position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof, illustrating the ball member thereofin lodged position through solid lines and in an alternative positionthrough dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along Line 3--3 of FIG.2 and again illustrating the ball in a solid and dotted line position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the toy; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken substantially along Line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

In accordance with the accompanying drawings, applicant's game-toy isgenerally designated 10 and basically includes a ball retaining, bowlmember 11, a spinning lodging member 12, a suction, mounting member 13and a ball member 14 with which the scoring for the game isaccomplished.

The ball retaining bowl member 11 includes a generally semi-sphericallyshaped member having a portion 11a thereof extending generallyvertically above what may be termed a mid-point of the sphere. Theconcept of this shape is to provide an interior surface that will permitthe ball member 14 to be spun around the interior thereof and uponreaching a required predetermined speed, the ball member will climb theinterior wall where it may become lodged between the wall and thespinner member 12.

The ball retaining bowl member 11 is provided with indicia about theperiphery thereof generally level with the top of spinner 12 such that ascoring is provided. The scoring technique is determined by the positionof lodgement of the ball 14 against the interior wall.

Arranged about the bottom 11b of the bowl 11 are a plurality of radiallyspaced rib members 11c which will provide a plurality of compartmentsfor receiving the ball 14 therein should the same not be lodged aspreviously stated.

In use of the game-toy, the player will be given a predetermined amountof time to lodge the ball 14 between the spinner 12 and the wall of theretaining level 11 and if the same is not lodged, it will drop into oneof the compartmented areas. These areas are also provided with indiciafor scoring.

Means for mounting the game-toy are provided such that the same may beheld to a surface through suction. This mounting means is designated 13and basically includes a suction cup section 15 held to the outersurface of the bowl 11 through an attachment member 16 which extendsdownwardly through the bottom of the bowl 11, through a placement disc17, the resilient top 18 of the suction cup 15, through an additionalplacement disc 19 and finally through a washer 20 and threadedattachment member 21. Obviously the end of attachment member 16 must bethreaded for the totally fastening of the bowl 11 to the attachmentmember 13 and to accomplish the tightening of this assembly it may benecessary to provide a shoulder 16a on the attachment member of rod 16.With this mounting structure, it should be obvious that the bowl 11 maybe releasably mounted upon a surface or the same may be spun whileholding the same in one's hands.

The attachment member or rod 16 is, in the form shown, arrangedgenerally centrally of the bottom of bowl 11 and is provided with aparallel offset 16b such that the axis provided by the rod 16 is offcenter with respect to the bowl 11. A tab 16c is provided at the upperend of rod 16 to permit grasping of the rod 16 for rotating the samewith respect to the bowl 11. Obviously the mounting as previouslydiscussed, must allow for this rotation and varied displacement.

The attachment member or rod 16 extends generally upwardly into the bowl11 and is provided with a bushing member 23 at the upper end thereof forpositioning of the spinner 12 thereon in substantial alignment with theindicia on the bowl 11. The spinner member 12, is, in the form shown,formed of a radially formed, ribbed member having a peripheral ring 24at the outer end of such ribs 25 with a plurality of angularly arrangedblade elements 26 extending outwardly from said ring 24 such that theball member 14 is able to move upwardly between the ends of such blades26, due to the angular positioning thereof and the placement of rod 16and become lodged between the same and the inner surface of the bowl 11.

By shifting the rod 16, it should be obvious that the spinner 12 will bemoved with respect to the wall of bowl 11 and the ball 14 will obviouslylodge at the places where the spinner is closest to the wall. This thenpermits an opponent to present problems to the player. If the playerneeds a specific number to win a game, the opponent could so positionthe spinner so that no number on the wall, when the ball would lodge,will provide this score and the player would have to rely on the balldropping into the numbered compartments at the bottom of the bowl ratherthan lodging the ball.

The ball member 14 is illustrated as having a plurality of holes 14atherethrough but these holes are not necessary to the operation of theinvention and are rather shown to suggest that the ball 14 should berelatively light weight such that the same will more easily rise tolodging position when the bowl 11 is spun.

Preferably, the entire toy should be formed of a relatively light weightmaterial and in the form that the applicant has found to be mostacceptable, the bowl 11 is formed of a clear material.

The scoring and various indicia of the game may take many various forms.For example, one of the blades may be of solid color and additionalpoints may be scored by lodging the ball 14 between this particularblade and one of the indicia on the wall of the bowl 11. These areaspects of playing the game and are not of any import to the structuralaspects thereof.

In operation of the game-toy, the bowl may be either releasably mountedon a surface or the player may hold the same in his hands. Upon spinningof the bowl 11, the ball will move about the inner surface thereof whilesteadily climbing the wall and the spinner 12 will also be caused torotate. Depending upon the skill of the player, the ball will ultimatelyclimb to a position where it will pass upwardly over the blades 26 ofthe spinner 12 and this passing is permitted due to the particulardimensions of the ball 14, the diameter of the blades 26 and the innerdiameter of the bowl, the angularity of the blades 26 with respect tothe circumferential ring 24 and the positioning of the spinner ascontrolled by rod 16. As the ball tends to drop downwardly through theblades 26, the same will become lodged between the same and the innersurface of the bowl. At this point the player will cease to spin thebowl and the score is counted. If the player is not capable of lodgingthe ball when his turn has elapsed, the ball will drop into thecompartmented area of the bottom of the bowl and again the score iscalculated.

It should be obvious that the bowl must be designed to permit the ballto rise above the spinner blades and for this reason the applicant haschosen a shape and dimension over semi-spherical which will permit suchmovement.

It should be obvious that the applicant has provided a new and uniquegame-toy which relies upon the interaction of various members being spunand which also relies upon the proper sizing and positioning of theelements thereof to permit lodging of the elements.

What I claim is:
 1. A spinning toy including:a. a generallysemi-sperhical bowl member having a portion thereof extending above themidpoint of the spherical portion thereof defining an interior, smoothlyradiused wall portion; b. a spinnable member having a plurality of equallength radially extending blade members, the radial dimensions of saidblade members being less than the radial dimension of said interior wallportion; c. means locating said spinnable member about an axis which isvertical and offset with respect to the vertical axis of the bowl memberwhen the latter is disposed in an upright position; d. a ball normallyfreely disposed in said bowl member below said spinnable member; and, e.said ball, blade member lengths and offset being so dimensioned as toallow the ball to move from the bottom of the bowl member past thespinnable member along a path defined by that part of said wall portionwhich is generally furthest removed from said axis and allow the ball tobe supported conjointly by one or more blades and that part of said wallportion which is generally closest to said axis.
 2. The structure setforth in claim 1 and a mounting rod for mounting said spinnable member,said rod arranged and constructed to position said spinnable member offcenter with respect to said bowl.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 2and said rod being shiftable whereby said spinnable member may beshifted with respect to said bowl.
 4. The structure set forth in claim 1and said spinnable member being arranged for rotation within said bowlmember.
 5. The structure set forth in claim 1 and said bowl member beingprovided with indicia around the periphery thereof in generally alignedrelation to the location of said spinnable member.
 6. The structure setforth in claim 1 and means for releasably attaching said bowl member toa surface.
 7. The structure set forth in claim 6 and said attachmentmeans including suction cup means attached to the outer lower portion ofsaid bowl portion.
 8. The structure set forth in claim 1 and said blademembers being arranged on said spinnable member at an angular relationthereto.
 9. The structure set forth in claim 8 and said blade membersproviding spacing to permit said ball member to pass between said bladesand the interior of said bowl member.
 10. The structure set forth inclaim 1 and the bottom of said bowl member being compartmented toreceive said ball therein.
 11. The structure set forth in claim 1 andsaid bowl member being formed of a light passing material.
 12. Thestructure set forth in claim 10 and said compartments being providedwith indicia thereon.